ST. CATHARINES. Ont. — A GoFundMe page has been set up to help one of our own. Andrew Strickland, whose family-owned company ADS has been serving the Canadian hotel industry since 1989, has been battling end-stage liver disease since last November.
Strickland has been unable to work since last summer and has spent much of his time in the hospital over the last five to six months. He’s recently been assessed and accepted to be on the liver-transplant list. Being accepted as a recipient comes with the requirement of being financially stable enough to manage through surgery and into recovery, which is estimated to be approximately a year. Regardless, he will be on anti-rejection medication for life.
His condition warranted family members to be assessed in hopes that he could potentially receive a living donor to speed up the much-needed transplant, increase his chances of survival and successful recovery after the surgery. Miraculously, Strickland’s sister Lori was a compatible match but unfortunately, even with a family genetic match, he will require very expensive anti-rejection medication for life, which he does not have medical coverage for. Medication costs alone, separate from other medical rehabilitation required will be several thousands of dollars a month.
“Andrew has always been a loyal and kind friend to us all through our personal and professional interaction with him with uncompromising hospitality and laughter,” reads the GoFundMe page. “Now is the time for Andrew to find the strength to recover from his surgery and focus on regaining his health. Andrew would never ask for help from anyone, but he really requires our financial assistance and support during this challenging time for him and his family. We need your help. Thank you for your generosity.”
